The Little Spirit Boy
by PhantomBrat
Summary: What really happened to Atem when he sacrificed himself?  And what is Yugi's true role in all of this?
1. Chapter 1

**Yugi: No sign of any Darks here.**

**Mokuba: Totally.**

**Malik: But Sister said that Leap Year is possibly the best time for Yami Hunting.**

**Well, it is an odd day that only shows up once every four years.**

**Malik: OMR! 'Kura's caught up with us.  
><strong>

**Ryou: But we accidentally dropped the Hikari-Tracker off that suspicious-looking bridge.**

**After accidentally introducing it to a rather large boulder.**

* * *

><p><strong>There were only minutes left to complete the ritual and seal Zorc and the Shadows away in order to protect my kingdom. I was going to sacrifice my entire being to save the world from the Shadows. I lost the ability to speak mere moments ago, my vision was lost before that. I had lost most every ability but my hearing as it was critical that I hear every part of the incantation read, but even that was fading.<strong>

_Wha? _**I feel as if my very soul is being shorn in two. **

_What's going on? _**My memories are slipping away. My entire childhood is gone and I can barely remember my father.**

_Why am I here?_ **I can not feel pain as every thing fades, my name is all I have left.**

_What are those people doing to me?_ **Nothing remains but the pain in what remains of my soul. But even that is fading.**

_I feel so alone. It's as if I'm missing something important. But what? I don't know and I have no idea as to what, or who, I am. There is no concept of time for me. I watch as the world around me changes, advancing, crumbling, growing, aging, dying, ever changing. I wander without limitations, trying to find a purpose for my existence and an answer for my many questions._

_I see various places, but nothing calls to me. I travel unseen by many but children. They all run as if I am going to harm them. This I would never do. I merely want to know why I am here and nowhere._

_Something pulls me to an ancient tomb. I see a man being attacked by someone upset about loosing their brother. The man nearly falls, but is saved by someone, a spirit in corporeal form. The regal-looking spirit allows the man to remove a golden box from the tomb and leave without further harm. As he vanishes, I feel alone once more._

_I decide to follow the man from a distance. He stops, _"I know that you're following me. I may not be able to see you, but I know that you're there."

_I duck behind a pile of forgotten crates, but he again calls out. I am shocked! I can't respond to him, but allow myself to drift closer to him. He smiles at me, _"There you are. Why are you following me?"

_I point to my neck and shook my head, frowning. _"A mute? Are you lost, little spirit?"

_I shrug my shoulders. I have been wandering for so long and have yet to understand the meaning of the word lost. But I feel a sense of concern from the man._

I was concerned for the little boy that had been following me as if he were a lost child. He looked like a younger version of the spirit that had saved me from falling in that tomb days ago. I noticed that he was nearly see-through. This child must have died in the area. But not recently by the way he was dressed. He looked so confused and sad. When I asked if he was lost, the little boy shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't know what being lost meant. "I wish that I could help you."

_I felt a strange feeling rush through me. I couldn't tell what it was, but I wasn't scared._

Before I could say another word, the little spirit vanished in a blinding light. When I could see again, there was a where the spirit had hovered. This child wasn't there moments ago, so it had to be the little spirit. I gathered the small bundle into my arms and called my daughter. She agreed to adopt the baby as she wanted to have a son but for medical reasons couldn't bear children.

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><p>One week later…<p>

I looked down at the bundle in my arms as I tried to decide on the name for the boy. My daughter was always one for unusual names so I settled on Yugi. The baby boy sighed in his sleep as my daughter signed the paperwork, making the boy Yugi Mutou. He had yet to open his small eyes. I smiled down at my new grandson, not knowing that my daughter would pass away two months later.

The day she passed, Yugi opened his eyes for the first time. They were the most beautiful amethyst I'd ever seen in my life.

Yugi's first six years flew by quickly. He grew and learned. My little grandson had yet to speak, so I kept him enrolled in half-day classes at the elementary school. One day he came home with a picture that looked like a certain Duel Monster, Kuriboh. "That's a pretty picture, Yugi."

He smiled at me, holding out his small fist. I held my hand open, unprepared for this next 'surprise'. There, in my hand, laid a tooth. I looked to Yugi, who flashed a big smile, revealing a gap in his teeth. He had lost his first tooth.

As I tucked him into bed that night, I couldn't help but think back to that night in Egypt six years ago. It was hard to believe that my grandson was the little spirit boy that had followed me and became an innocent baby before my eyes. I kissed Yugi's forehead, "Goodnight Yugi."

"Ay-night, 'ampa."

I was beside myself as I closed his door, careful to leave it cracked. He said his first words and they were to me. I set the gate up to prevent any possibility of him falling down the stairs before I head to my own room for the night.

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><p><em>Grandpa's been so nice to me. I love him so much. But where's Mommy and Daddy? All the other kids in school have mommies and daddies. I'm lucky to have Grandpa with me. He gives me toys and puzzles and the bestest games ever. He says that I'm a good boy.<em>

_He was happy when I said my goodnight. I want to keep him happy, so I'll try to talk more. This is gonna be hard, but I like when Grandpa's happy. I feel really good then. I pull my doll closer and close my eyes._

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><p>Today is Yugi's eighth birthday, well it's been eight years since he came to me that night. He's found the box that I had left in the stockroom the day I came home with him. "Grandpa, might I have this," he asks. "Please?"<p>

I can't deny him much. Just hearing him speak is enough to make me cave. I give in, making him a challenge, "Sure, but you'll have to put it together. It's a real stumper."

He grins and hugs me, "Thank you Grandpa! You're the Best!"

He lets go and runs for the kitchen table to start working on it.

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><p><em>This is the best birthday ever! Grandpa gave me a really tough puzzle and a challenge. <strong>?<strong>_

_Grandpa comes to see where I've gotten. I smile at him and return to work on it. **What is this?**_

_This is really tough. I stare at the pieces. **Why can I not see?**_

_Before dinner, I pack up the puzzle and take it to my room. I'll try to work on it later. **So tired…**_

* * *

><p>Eight more years past, seeing Yugi grow and make friends. I patched him up after he showed up looking pretty hurt. "I'm gonna go work on that puzzle, Grandpa."<p>

I nodded as he headed to his room.

_I wish that I had more friends than just Tea and that Joey and Tristan would stop bullying me. I hope that my trying to protect them from Ushio showed them that I'd never turn on my friends._

_**I feel warmth. That is strange.** I felt the puzzle click into place. This repeats with every new piece I pick up._

_**I feel a lonely presence. Things are starting to clear a little, allowing me to see and hear. **_*Click…click* _This is so comforting. I feel more at ease with each piece added. __**I see a small child putting the object before him together. He is nearly finished. Just one more piece. **__Grandpa gave me the piece I was missing. I slip it into its place and am shocked to see that I am not alone in my room. "Who are you," I stutter. 'Great, Yugi, just show the stranger that you're scared of him.'_

"_I have no name that I remember," he replied. This stranger looked like me, well mostly. His hair was slightly different and he was taller by a few inches. Where my eyes are amethyst, his have a touch of red in them._

"_I'm Yugi. Do you mind if I gave you a name?"_

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><p><em><strong>I suppose," I told the boy.<strong>_

"_How does Yami sound?"_

"_**What is its meaning?"  
><strong>_

"_It means Darkness."_

"_**And why this name?"**_

_**The boy, Yugi, plucked at his covers, **"Well, it's dark outside and you didn't appear during the day."_

"_**I suppose it will have to do until I remember my name."**_

_**Yugi smiled, **"Ok."_

_**I am now called Yami. Yugi has completed the Millennium Puzzle, allowing me use of his body to protect him and whomever his friends may be. Where my soul is darkened, his is of the most innocent I have encountered. This amazes me as those of this age harbor dark thought and commit wrongs towards others.**_

_**This young boy I cannot view as a mere vessel for my soul. No. He is far more. Yugi is as a brother that I probably never had. He is helping me to heal and learn.**_

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><p><em>Yugi's Journal:<em>

_I never thought that Yami would ever want to leave, but he had to. I also never believed that our connection was deeper than the Puzzle allowed. But that, too, was proved wrong that day. The day that he left, no the moment those doors closed, my world fell apart. I feel alone, even though my friends and Grandpa are constantly with me. It seems that I can't get warm now that Yami's gone. I'd better go. Tea's coming with a sweater that Grandpa had in the dryer for me._

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: I wonder how this will turn out.<strong>

**Bakura: Who cares? What about Ryou?**

**No idea as of now. Bakura! Put that book down!**

**Bakura: And why should I?**

**Because I need that for class and it cost me almost $200.**

**Bakura: Pathetic. *About to toss book***

**You toss that book and I'll tell Yami that you were the one who stole his wallet.**

**Bakura: So what.**

**Mokuba: Look what I found! Drat! It's for Bakura.**

**Bakura: *Opens box* YAAAAAA!**

***Picks box up* Ewwwww! It's a nasty Barney plush! GET IT AWAY! **GET IT AWAY!****

***Everyone runs from Story*  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Short update as part of my massive Christmas gift to everyone.**

**Amethyst-Jade: Nobody's reviewed this, why keep it up here?**

**No idea, maybe out of hope that someone will read it and review on their own terms.**

**Yugi: Great idea.**

LINE

The minute Atem passed the threshold of the ancient doors into the afterlife, they closed. Yugi felt a sharp pain sear though his body and he collapsed mere moments after they shut, gaining Solomon's attention. "YUGI!"

Odion carefully picked the small teen up and rushed to the waiting jeep. By the time they reached the closest hospital, he was struggling to breathe. Once inside the building, the staff whisked the ailing boy away and lead the others to a private waiting room.

LINE

Ishizu looked to Solomon who was lost in his own thoughts, "Is there something bothering you, Mr. Mutou?"

"Not even Yugi knows what I am about to tell you," Solomon began, deciding that his grandson's friends needed to know. "But I don't want any of you kids to tell him a word about this."

"We promise," the group of teens swore.

Solomon nodded before starting, "Yugi doesn't have any parents, in fact, his own 'birthday' is the date that he became a part of my family."

"What are you saying," Ishizu questioned.

"I took him home from Egypt as he had no family and had my daughter adopt him so that he would be able to stay with us. She passed away shortly after, naming me his legal guardian. Yugi was different from other children, so I kept him home most of the time, only allowing him to stay partial days at school until he was seven."

"I remember that," Tea spoke up. "He didn't talk until the end of the first grade and even then it was rare that he said a word."

"That's why he was always bringing games and stuff to school," Tristan mused.

Joey couldn't believe what he had just heard. His first best friend, after Tristan, was adopted! What was his original story? Why did he look like Solomon did when he was younger? Who were his real parents?

LINE

Yugi cracked his eyes open, but quickly closed them against the bright light. He realized that he was in a hospital room, but couldn't figure out why. The last thing he remembered was watching Atem walk into the afterlife. He found the remote to elevate his bed and to dim the lights. Once he was in a sitting position, he saw his grandfather sleeping in the next bed over.

He sighed as the doctor entered the room. "I see you're awake," she stated as she approached his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," Yugi replied as she checked his vitals.

She wrote some notes on her clipboard, "I see no reason for you to leave today. Just take it easy and rest a bit."

Yugi nodded and sat on the bed waiting for his grandpa to wake. He caught sight of his friends peeking into the room. Yugi smiled and waved them in. "So how ya doin' pal," Joey asked him.

Yugi shrugged, "I'm fine. I get to leave today, but the doctor said to take it easy. So what happened?"

"You fainted, Yugi," Tea stated, beating the boys to the punch. She didn't want to risk Joey blurting anything out that might upset their friend. "It was probably the heat."

"I'm sorry that I made you guys worry," Yugi said as he looked to each of his best friends.

At that moment, Solomon woke up. He saw Yugi awake and talking to his friends, "How's my boy?"

"Good," Yugi replied. "The doctor said that I can leave today."

"That's great news, Yugi! Now we can go home where you can rest comfortably," Solomon stated, knowing that Yugi must miss his bed after a night in the hospital.

LINE

They made it back to Domino without any issues. Joey carried a sleeping Yugi into the Mutou house and into his room. The small teen had fallen asleep in the car on the way from the airport and nobody felt like waking him. He was tired after the long flight and the rocking of the vehicle lulled him to sleep.

After Joey returned from laying Yugi in his bed, he and the others said their goodbyes and headed towards their own homes. Yugi slept through lunch and awoke just as Solomon paid the delivery boy. "Hi Grandpa," Yugi yawned. "Is there anything I can help with?"

Solomon thought for a moment, "You could get us some drinks and a couple of paper plates. I think that's about it."

Yugi nodded as he headed into the kitchen for the requested items. When he returned, Solomon had the box open, revealing Yugi's favorite pizza; a pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and green peppers. "Thank you Grandpa," Yugi said, hugging the elderly man.

"I thought that you deserved a special treat," Solomon replied as Yugi put a slice on both of the plates.

LINE

**Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Mokuba: Until next time...**


End file.
